# NTSB investigations: Eurocopter AS 350 B3: Loss of control in flight

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB WPR23LA200](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA200.md): Eurocopter AS 350 B3 · San Diego, CA · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · May 24, 2023 · N791AM · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain altitude during a hover taxi due to distraction resulting from the unanticipated activation of strobing lights while using night vision googles.
- [NTSB GAA17CA404](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA404.md): Eurocopter AS 350 · King Vale, CA · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 11, 2017 · N357PJ · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from trees while landing in a dusty, unimproved landing zone.
- [NTSB WPR14TA370](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14TA370.md): Eurocopter AS 350 B3 · Lincoln, CA · Accident · No injuries · Final report · Sep 5, 2014 · N217HP · Substantial damage
  > The failure of the engine to provide sufficient power when commanded by the pilot during the power recovery phase of a practice autorotation for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination revealed no mechanical malfunctions or…
- [NTSB CEN14IA329](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14IA329.md): Eurocopter AS 350 B3 · Temple, TX · Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report · Jun 26, 2014 · N808LF · Minor damage
  > The pilot’s failure to reposition the yaw servo hydraulic switch to the “on” position during the pretakeoff hydraulic system check, which resulted in a complete lack of hydraulic boost to the tail rotor system and increased the load required to move the…
- [NTSB ERA14FA010](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14FA010.md): Eurocopter AS 350 B3 · Somerville, TN · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 22, 2013 · N353HW · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s inadvertent encounter with night, instrument meteorological conditions while responding to an obstacle alert, resulting in an in-flight loss of helicopter control.
- [NTSB CEN13FA331](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13FA331.md): Eurocopter AS 350 B3 · Grand Prairie, TX · Accident · Minor injuries · Field investigation · Final report · Jun 8, 2013 · N106LN · Substantial damage
  > The pilot receiving instruction's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during a simulated hydraulics failure training maneuver, which resulted in his loss of control of the helicopter and its subsequent impact with terrain, and the flight instructor's…
- [NTSB ANC13GA036](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC13GA036.md): Eurocopter AS350 · Talkeetna, AK · Accident · 3 fatal · Class 1 · Final report · Mar 31, 2013 · N911AA · Destroyed
  > The pilot's decision to continue flight under visual flight rules into deteriorating weather conditions, which resulted in the pilot's spatial disorientation and loss of control. Also causal was the Alaska Department of Public Safety's punitive culture and…
- [NTSB ERA10MA188](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10MA188.md): Eurocopter AS-350-B3 · Brownsville, TN · Accident · 3 fatal · Major investigation · Final report · Mar 25, 2010 · N855HW · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's decision to attempt the flight into approaching adverse weather, resulting in an encounter with a thunderstorm with localized instrument meteorological conditions, heavy rain, and severe turbulence that led to a loss of control.
- [NTSB ERA09TA440](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09TA440.md): Eurocopter AS 350B3 · Jacksonville, FL · Accident · Minor injuries · Final report · Aug 4, 2009 · N186AE · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor's improper decision to attempt hover flight without hydraulic power and his subsequent loss of control.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('8680954')
    AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND s.aircrafts_position = x.position AND s."tier2Number" = '240' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "isDefiningEvent")))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence?model=8680954

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